Not Mortal Sins
by rockhotch31
Summary: Just a quick one-shot random idea I ran with about dealing with some social issues. This involves my pairing of Hotch and Rossi. Please note the rating before you judge the pairing. And it also includes Jack and Henry LaMontagne; with a little of the team.


**A/N: Someone, who shall remain nameless, asked for a Hotch/Rossi piece before I dived into my research for another case fic. It is not my usual to respond to fans' suggestions. However, this person is also a dear friend. Yet, I'm still trying to refine the parameters of my case fic before I move forward on it. So this idea struck me and like I said, I ran with it.**

 **All rights to the** _ **Criminal Minds**_ **characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios.**

 ***Knightly bow***

The BAU team had just delivered their profile to the deputies of Stillwater County of which its southeast boundaries touched upon the city limits of Billings, Montana. The team had been called to the desolate county by Sheriff Jason Moline, a mid-thirties man that had an air of quiet confidence. He had welcomed them into the tiny sheriff's office two days earlier. "Rhonda Samuels, the sheriff in Wyoming you all worked with six years ago, gave a pretty impassioned speech a couple years back at the northwest sheriff's association conference." Hotch nodded at JJ with his small, proud smile. "She said if any of us needed help with something like this, you were the people to call."

Sheriff Moline and his deputies certainly needed it. The unsub had killed three elderly woman across the vast county in less than a week prior to Moline calling the BAU. The team was greeted to a fourth body shortly after their arrival. Hotch and Rossi were discussing their profile more with the Sheriff when a man barged into the small conference room.

"Tom," Moline asked. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you what's wrong Jay," he angrily stated, waving a finger at the two agents. "I just had coffee at Martha's, and Sue Haggerty came in with some interesting news." He eyed Hotch and Rossi deeply. "In case you big city boys don't recognize the name, she and her husband Mike run the motel y'all are stayin' at." Rossi eyed Hotch.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything Tom," Moline asked.

"Damn Jay; you're the sheriff and you don't know?" Moline gave him a puzzled look. "Sue cleans the motel rooms. And she just told all of us that these two agents here, sharing a double room," he emphasized, "only used one bed. What the hell do you think I'm tellin' you?" Moline just looked at him. "I've already talked to the county commission board members. As the chairman of that board, I'm telling you to send their asses back to DC were those liberals accept those kind." Sergeant Brad Thompson, the second in command had walked up to join the conversation, followed by Morgan, JJ and Reid.

"That has absolutely no bearing on how we profile and do our job," Reid defended. Hotch looked gave him a silent _stay out of this_ look.

Dave started to raise his ring finger hand to show off he and Aaron's matching wedding rings. Aaron shook him off with a subtle, yet firm head shake. "Chairman Bring," Moline said, addressing his title but certainly not showing any respect, "I don't give a damn about anyone's sexual orientation. All I care about is catching a serial killer we have loose in this county. And that's why the good people of this county elected me sheriff; to protect them. You don't make that call; I do."

"You'll never get re-elected when I tell the good folks of this county who you called in with their homos," Bring spat out.

Moline smiled. "I didn't plan a running for re-election anyway. I'm this close," he said, barely spreading two fingers apart, "to accepting a under Sheriff position in Durango County, Colorado. I'm fed up with dealing with all of you commissioners, sticking your nose into every investigation so you can cover crimes for your friends. You're not going to do it with this one. Not on my watch," Moline defended.

"Goddamn Jay, we can't lose you," Thompson sincerely said. He looked at the county chairman. "Tom, I've been with this department for nearly twenty years. I grew up in this county. Y'all have known me since I was a kid and hired me. Jay is the best damn sheriff we've ever had. Do I agree with these agents' sexual orientation? Hell I just learned that term. The answer: no. However, these two agents and the rest of their team's profile just gave us a lead. So I don't give a damn how they live their lives. That's not for me to judge."

Thompson looked at Hotch and Rossi. "Morgan and JJ just told me you have someone back at Quantico that can find stuff out about people." Hotch and Rossi nodded.

Morgan pulled out his phone and hit a button. "Mama, we need you to work your magic."

"Ready, willing and able my chocolate god of thunder," Garcia answered.

Moline looked at the county commission chairman. "Get the hell out of my department. We've got work to do." Bring turned on his heel and left.

-CM00-

At the same time that was happening, Jack Hotchner walked onto the playground of McAuliffe Elementary and took a deep, after lunch breath looking around. His buddy Keegan ran past him with a soccer ball in hand. "Hey Jack! You in?"

"Yeah sure," Jack said, looking around a bit more. "Keegan, wait up," Jack added.

"What's up Jack," Keegan responded, looking at the group of first graders that Jack was eyeing. "Isn't that your friend Henry?" Jack nodded. They both watched as a bunch of boys had Henry surrounded in their circle. A couple of boys pushed Henry around the group. "That's not right," Keegan noted.

"No, it isn't," Jack said, striding towards the group much like his dad. _Pansy haircut_ he heard as he got closer and the group pushed Henry around their circle harder. "Stop it," Jack barked, sounding every bit like Aaron Hotchner's son. Jack pried two boys apart to open the circle. "Come on Henry; they're just jealous their moms won't let them get an awesome haircut like that."

"Yeah come on Henry," Keegan said. "You're a great soccer player," tossing the soccer ball to him. "Come play with us." Jack smiled his thanks at Keegan and gently put his arm around Henry's shoulder to get him away from his tormentors.

"Thanks guys," Henry sincerely smiled as they walked away from the other first graders. The three boys ran off to join a group of Jack and Keegan's friends across the playground. Jack pulled Keegan to a stop.

"Thanks for backing me," he smiled at his friend.

"Hey two of us backing Henry to his classmates and him playing with us will give him some major points on the playground," Keegan smiled back. That earned him Jack's Rossi point he learned from Papa.

Jack smiled broadly. "You're the best Keegan." They took off running again to join the others.

-CM00-

The BAU jet was winging its way home in the night darkness. Deputy Thompson's hunch, following the profile the team had gave, lead them and the deputies to the unsub. The arrest made, the team said their good-byes to Moline and Thompson as they packed up. Moline shook Rossi and then Hotch's hand. "I really apologize about this morning," he sincerely said. "That guy," he said, nodding at the unsub in the holding cell, "would still be hunting around this county, killing women if you hadn't come. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Rossi smiled. "Good luck with the new job."

"And thanks for backing the team," Hotch added.

JJ came out of the bathroom in the back of the jet. She walked past her seat to smile at Reid sprawled out on the couch across from that. He was quietly snoring. Morgan was sitting in one of the two top of seats up front, his headphones on listening to his MP3 player with his eyes closed. A soft light illuminated the four top of seats where Hotch and Rossi sat across from each other, enjoying a tumbler of scotch. "Mind if I sit down," JJ asked.

"Not at all," Rossi smiled. She sat down next to him.

"Can't sleep," Hotch asked.

"In a few minutes," she smiled. "I just wanted to say thank you to you both."

Hotch and Rossi exchanged a look and then gave JJ a puzzled one.

JJ looked at them. "Jack didn't tell you what happened at school today?" They both shook their head. She recounted the story, ending by saying, "Henry told me 'mama I may be one of the shortest boys in the class but I'm a big guy to everyone now'," she smiled.

"Hangin' out with a bunch of fourth graders can do that," Rossi smiled.

"Keegan is a great kid," Hotch added with his own dimpled smile. "His dad is an orthopedic surgeon and him mom is a senior detective with the Arlington PD. They just moved into the school district this summer from Baltimore."

"He sounds like a great kid," JJ smiled. "With the law enforcement bond, that's probably why he and Jack are buds." The two fathers smiled. "I just wanted to tell the two of you that you're wonderful parents. Will and I appreciate what Jack and Keegan did."

"Thanks," Dave said, patting her arm. "Get some sleep."

"You too," she smiled rubbing his bicep as she got up.

Aaron and Dave drained their tumblers. "That's the plan," Hotch smiled. "Sleep well."

"You two as well," JJ smiled moving to her seat.

#####

 **A/N: *Rossi point to someone* Can I work on my case fic now? :D Rhonda Samuels was the sheriff in the S5 episode** _ **Risky Business**_ **.**

 ***Knightly bow***


End file.
